


Piano Night 1: Run

by Pandagirl23



Series: Enass-AU [20]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Hurt Tony Stark, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Post-Canon, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Song fic, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Sings, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, Tony Stark can play the piano, Tony Stark is talented
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28438950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandagirl23/pseuds/Pandagirl23
Summary: A songfic: A billionaire plays the piano, and a cold man watches quietly
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Enass-AU [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017507
Kudos: 27





	Piano Night 1: Run

**Author's Note:**

> The song used is by Boots called Teen Reader. 
> 
> Had my boyfriend help I choose the first song. 
> 
> Anyway, yes Tony's emotions connecting with extremis make pretty effects in his music room. James likes watching and gets emotional whiplash from Tony's own emotion. 
> 
> *Giacomo in Sicilian is James
> 
> If you are confused about what is going on earlier on or the references can review the first stories. At least to get a base.

Mid-September brought on a sudden cold chill in the air even though the temperature calls for last few days of Summer but harbinger for the frontal force of fall. It doesn’t matter so much for the man staring at the ceiling in the dead of night, with the clock blinking in and out of the unset time of 12:00. He knew the time just by how wired he is and isn’t.

James rubbed his new mattress even at the full firmness he, it was too soft. Maybe he lost the nerves in his back. He remembers sleeping on the ground with a stuff pillow and blanket. Sometimes even just a pillow of his jacket with the fire to his face. Other times, he never remembers sleeping. The dark quiet of the hunt sat silently with him while he waited for his shot.

Here though, he had none of those two options unless he was decided to be mission-ready that involves battling. Here he was staring at the moderately white ceiling. Roving his eyes from the ceiling to the door directly from his bed back to the window directly from his bed then to the plain white walls. Scanned from walls to weapons to—

He needs to walk. Sliding out of his bed, James foregoes socks allowing callused feet to block most of the chilled wooden floors.

Making his way out of the room, pass the multitude of doors. Sounds of snoring Bird eyes, Steve grumbles, the Witch’s magic dusting eerily from the door, he made a wide berth of her door. Always her door. Natalie barely-there breathing. Wilson’s hushed sleep talking. The only one he never heard was Anthony’s.

Rubbing his hands on his pants, he knew Anthony would talk to the others eventually. He just was not sure when he would announce it.

Stepping out of the hall of the rooms, he made his way to the living area, maybe if he sat and stared at the blank television, his brain would snap shut. It would stop replaying everything. Or he can go to the balcony he talked to the generous male around close two weeks ago.

Getting to the couch facing the front of the television, Bucky looked at the spot where he saw Anthony lounging a few months back, then he could have sworn he felt his own stare as he stared at Anthony in his sweater and blanket.

Feeling heat splattering his cheeks even with the difficulty of the blank facial expression he was not showing. James pulled his gaze away from the spot to the ceiling again. He needs to stop—

Music.

Faint, but he was sure it was music that was being played now or note of music. Standing up focusing on hearing the notes being played, tested, messed with, the super-soldier followed.

Followed the notes down the hall or reds, pass a covered wallpaper door, pass several scanner access only doors, to the one door open, and notes at the loudest from within the muffle door.

He was not sure if FRIDAY or VITO (VITO was a bit of a snarky AI as where FRIDAY is sassy) who left the door open. Here he was though standing watching Anthony back to the door, a large screen like mirror blacked out, and the grandbaby piano. Pure black, ivory and black keys. A dark brown handled Microphone set up on the microphone. The man in a crimson red robe. Was not silk but it hung loosely off him. One-shoulder bared to the world, showing the work he does in his lab. The Winter Soldier can barely make slender fingers that work on his arm for check-ins gracing the keys.

Even from here, James can tell the man was tired, exhausted even. Slumped shoulders, hair wild but with tight curls, and a type of scarf around his neck.

The ex-assassin kept watching even when the quiet mumble of dim please echoed softly in the room. With the room dimmed and the mirror screen coming to life, was only when the slender fingers started to dance with small lights as he began to play key notes. Beginning to sing the microphone, with the microphone set to low, Bucky can tell it was FRIDAY who was mindful of the sound. Whether it was to keep the others asleep or to keep her creator’s other passions hidden.

The sleepless man began to sing quietly into the microphone, even with the roughness from the lack of sleep.

“Bigger wheeler  
Coke dealer  
Look out for the world with all your glory  
Sleep easy  
Don't tease me”

James let the piano keys play through the carrying the voice over through the echoes of the room. The more Anthony sang as the exhaustion shook off similar how it is heavy clothes and armor being removed.

  
“Slip off in a hail of mobile warning  
Teen Reader  
Stay sweeter  
Shift into another guided slumber”

The Winter Soldier let his eyes closed going back to when he was forced back into the chamber, letting the cold consume him but never fully asleep. His mind only then registers the additions of instrumentals played behind the voice.

  
“Smoke breather  
Lone stealer  
Straight razor the Earth  
Collect your lumber”

Fist clenching James forced his eyes open again seeing the futurist head deep down to the side. The flash of long lashes in the dim-lit room grazing the somber man. Blue light refracted on apples of his cheeks,   
“You and I  
No one left but us”

He wanted to step closer into the wall of sounds, the piano strokes staying in the same tempo as the melodies even through the lyrics. He was confused by the swelling over complex emotions. Always around Anthony’s presence, he can feel these swells of emotions. He watched the man’s back pull and move the arms to keep in time with the lyrics that poured from his mouth.

  
“Oh, do or die  
Guess we better run  
Guess we better run run run  
Run away  
Guess we better run run run  
Run away”

He thought about running away plenty of times during his time as a killer. He thought about it many times after he made the shot. Finished the mission. He thought about that night. The bike behind him, still warm. The long stretch but he couldn’t. He always went back.

  
“Guess we better run run run  
Run away  
Guess we better run run run  
Run away”

He stared at the man with curls and locks as his back arch to sing into the microphone and delicate fingers. The mirror screen woke to life pushing blazes into the room burning blue. Bucky was not sure if the heat was real even when holograms of fire roared to life. Was it FRIDAY that let the flames echo?

  
“Face crushing  
Stop blushing  
Keep up with the Earth and mass appealing”

James watched the blue lights swirled into abstract and painful images even as the owner of the house never even heard his breathing. He can feel cold at his back but the heat from in the room.

  
“Blessed leaders  
Cop bleeders  
Reach out with your claws and spread your healing  
Broke suiter”

Handlers, teammates, friends, family…

Barnes swallowed back the pain he was feeling in his body. The emotions started to name themselves as the sun-kissed skin of Anthony’s neck craned and the lashes revealed in blues. Sparks dancing over the light marks.

  
“Cash Tudor  
Look out for the sun  
Your skin is peeling”

Anger was one. Puzzlement was another as he can see the shoulder marked with long old lashes hiding in the blue-tinted robe. Fury of something on a person long gone. Need, for this man. He was not sure need was a good component of something else he is feeling in himself.

  
“Sharp shooter  
No future  
Perched up on the roof  
He'll mount and squealing”

He listened as the voice of the hero strained through the means of the lyrics. Bucky knows he will never know what is swirling in the big head but seeing the digital room wave to highs and lows, he has a feeling this is not FRIDAY doing it. He felt feet drag him in onto the polish tile floor never taking in the music room.

  
“You and I  
No one left but us  
Oh, do or die”

James looked at the blues of the Arc Reactor blue glowing through the room. Feeling the air of memories haunting them both but in different ways. Even in the heat filled room the sniper can feel the cold touching his skin.

  
“Guess you better run  
Yeah, you better run run run  
Run away  
You better run run run  
Run away  
You better run run run  
Run away  
You better run run run  
Run away  
Run run run run run run”

Bucky can hear the shudders of breathing through Anthony’s voice. Anton words shaking as the piano played faster. Blues shining on the clear white of the tears but refracting from the reds making it a deep red-violet. Both hands gripped his sleep pants feeling his own tear starting to slip through. Body shaking in time with the smaller male quaking.

  
“No one left but us  
Guess we better run  
No one left but us”

The piano evened out with the sounds of music fading off. Reality of the room returning as flames scattered back into the darkening mirror reflecting the room and James staring Anthony as Tony opened his heavy brown eyes to stare at him. None of them mentioned the dry tear stains or the jewels sitting on the billionaire’s lashes.

Brushing a quick hand through his eyes, Tony closed the piano with too much force. Jerked on his robe hiding the marks of his past with both hands on his neck.

“How… How much did you see?”

Staring at him not bothering with the itchy feeling on his face. James shook his head, “Only the singing…”

Meeting the super soldier in the eyes, fingernails digging into the back of his neck, the inventor jaw ticked, shoulders straightening and back firming. “Only the signing.” Even knowing the talented sniper and competent man knows he smell the half-lie.

“Only the singing.” The Russian-Brooklyn voice trickled out even as his face stayed neutral. Lies and truth mingling but secrecy all the same held. An affirmation, that this whole night is a secret.

Tony frowned unsure to believe that and take the taller male words as it is. Both know what he saw, both know he may have been here the whole time but…

“Only the singing,” Tony repeated softly forcing both hands down to wrap around his chest. Barnes nodded solemnly. “Okay.” Looking around the room then at the super winter soldier turning his eyes down to his bare feet. Never making a comment on the man’s own sockless feet, he released an exhausted breath, “You can use… this room if you are bored.”

Walking past the man, Tony looked back seeing the slight turn of the snow skin man, “Night… Giacomo…”

James turned fully to watch the man walk away leaving the lilt of Sicilian behind in the room where ice and fire met without melting. Rubbing his chest, he barely realized he was shirtless this whole time.

Feeling the beginnings of a blush, Bucky looked at the room before he walked out after turning off the lights. Sleep followed him all the way to his room.

Tony threw his robe off leaving it on the carpeted floor as he sat on the bed. Rubbing his hand around the scars decorating his arms, back and chest. Self-inflicted, given, and needed. Touching the raised scarring down his shoulders to his back reaching under his thighs. Dragging a hand up from front his thighs to his chest circling around the glowing blue till crossing his arms with opposite hands hiding the scars. Breathing fighting to hitch but forcing those emotions closed.

Tonight, brought many first with extra dose of emotional drowning. He wanted to punch Barnes for seeing his neck and shoulder. He wanted to deck the man for seeing him at one of his most vulnerable states. He also wanted to get the well-defined man into a magazine, so he isn’t in the manor all the time isn’t stalking the halls. He wanted to… something about Barnes.

“FRIDAY… make sure Barnes’s room has a working AC by tomorrow please. VITO baby boy, let him know if he is not asleep.”

FRIDAY had a hint of sass overtaken with the care in her voice, “Of course boss. And sir,” Tony hummed out an answer for even as extremis helped him give her a gentle nudge to continue, “You will be okay?”

“Always sweetie. Always.” He replied feeling VITO's current data streaming to him with a squirming ounce of nervousness.

“VI?” He mumbled already feeling his mind reaching the numbing slow point.

“I left the door open sir,” The monotone voice came out (He is still a baby in a sense), “That is how Barnes got it in… he heard it. Are you mad?”

Tony shook his head. Honestly, was not even sure if he was mad, upset but not mad. “No. I’m not mad.” He was just confused about what was happening with them.


End file.
